US2016225049A1PendingUtilityA1

Research system and method

29
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jan 29, 2015Filed: Jan 29, 2016Published: Aug 4, 2016
Est. expiryJan 29, 2035(~8.5 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Michael R. Gants
G06F 16/9535G06F 16/245G06Q 30/0623G06Q 10/063112G06Q 30/0629G06Q 10/06316G06Q 10/10G06Q 30/0611G06Q 30/0613G06Q 30/02G06Q 50/18G06Q 30/0627
29
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and computing system for defining at least one legal task description. The at least one legal task description is provided to one or more lawyers for a pricing evaluation. A fee estimate is received concerning the at least one legal task description from each of the one or more lawyers. A user is enabled to compare the one or more lawyers based, at least in part, upon the fee estimate provide by each of the one or more lawyers.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, executed on a computing device, comprising:
 defining at least one legal task description;   providing the at least one legal task description to one or more lawyers for a pricing evaluation;   receiving a fee estimate concerning the at least one legal task description from each of the one or more lawyers; and   enabling a user to compare the one or more lawyers based, at least in part, upon the fee estimate provide by each of the one or more lawyers.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein enabling the user to compare the one or more lawyers based, at least in part, upon the fee estimate provide by each of the one or more lawyers includes:
 receiving search criteria concerning a potential legal services engagement for the user. 
 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein enabling the user to compare the one or more lawyers based, at least in part, upon the fee estimate provide by each of the one or more lawyers further includes:
 comparing the search criteria to a plurality of lawyer profiles to generate a result set, wherein each lawyer profile included within the result set includes the fee estimate concerning the at least one legal task description. 
 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the search criteria identifies a particular area of the law. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the fee estimate concerns the particular area of the law. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 requesting that each of the one or more lawyers provide the fee estimate concerning the at least one legal task description. 
 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one legal task description concerns a specific task within a particular area of law. 
     
     
         8 . A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 defining at least one legal task description;   providing the at least one legal task description to one or more lawyers for a pricing evaluation;   receiving a fee estimate concerning the at least one legal task description from each of the one or more lawyers; and   enabling a user to compare the one or more lawyers based, at least in part, upon the fee estimate provide by each of the one or more lawyers.   
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8  wherein enabling the user to compare the one or more lawyers based, at least in part, upon the fee estimate provide by each of the one or more lawyers includes:
 receiving search criteria concerning a potential legal services engagement for the user. 
 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein enabling the user to compare the one or more lawyers based, at least in part, upon the fee estimate provide by each of the one or more lawyers further includes:
 comparing the search criteria to a plurality of lawyer profiles to generate a result set, wherein each lawyer profile included within the result set includes the fee estimate concerning the at least one legal task description. 
 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein the search criteria identifies a particular area of the law. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein the fee estimate concerns the particular area of the law. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 8  further comprising instructions for:
 requesting that each of the one or more lawyers provide the fee estimate concerning the at least one legal task description. 
 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein the at least one legal task description concerns a specific task within a particular area of law. 
     
     
         15 . A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising:
 defining at least one legal task description;   providing the at least one legal task description to one or more lawyers for a pricing evaluation;   receiving a fee estimate concerning the at least one legal task description from each of the one or more lawyers; and   enabling a user to compare the one or more lawyers based, at least in part, upon the fee estimate provide by each of the one or more lawyers.   
     
     
         16 . The computing system of  claim 14  wherein enabling the user to compare the one or more lawyers based, at least in part, upon the fee estimate provide by each of the one or more lawyers includes:
 receiving search criteria concerning a potential legal services engagement for the user. 
 
     
     
         17 . The computing system of  claim 16  wherein enabling the user to compare the one or more lawyers based, at least in part, upon the fee estimate provide by each of the one or more lawyers further includes:
 comparing the search criteria to a plurality of lawyer profiles to generate a result set, wherein each lawyer profile included within the result set includes the fee estimate concerning the at least one legal task description. 
 
     
     
         18 . The computing system of  claim 16  wherein the search criteria identifies a particular area of the law. 
     
     
         19 . The computing system of  claim 16  wherein the fee estimate concerns the particular area of the law. 
     
     
         20 . The computing system of  claim 15  further configured to perform operations comprising:
 requesting that each of the one or more lawyers provide the fee estimate concerning the at least one legal task description. 
 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 15  wherein the at least one legal task description concerns a specific task within a particular area of law.

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